RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: A recent review of the SEER database revealed that melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma occur more commonly on the left side of the body. Similarly, a trend was reported in which nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) were found to be distributed more frequently on the left side of the body. OBJECTIVES: To compare the sidedness of NMSC in a large patient population. There were five primary objectives of the present study: (i) to confirm or refute the left-sided trend of NMSC in the largest patient population studied for asymmetry to date; (ii) to determine whether the left-sided trend existed in Hispanic/Latino individuals; (iii) to examine skin cancer in older individuals across ethnicities; (iv) to compare distribution across anatomical location and ethnicity; and (v) to measure gender differences in the distribution of NMSC. METHODS: The last 3026 cases referred to the Mohs surgical unit at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine during 2008-2011 were reviewed. The patient's age, gender, tumour side, tumour type, anatomical location and ethnicity were recorded. RESULTS: There were 1505 (50·2%) right-sided tumours and 1495 (49·8%) left-sided tumours (P=0·52). The Hispanic/Latino group had a nonsignificant right-sided trend with 607 (52·7%) right-sided cases and 545 (47·3%) left-sided cases (P=0·06). The non-Hispanic/non-Latino group between the ages of 60 and 85 years had 605 (46·9%) right-sided tumours and 686 (53·1%) left-sided tumours (P=0·024). The Hispanic/Latino group between the ages of 60 and 85 years demonstrated 404 (54·0%) right-sided tumours and 344 (46·0%) left-sided tumours (P=0·028). One hundred and fifty-four skin cancers were located on the upper extremities of non-Hispanic/non-Latino individuals with 64 (41·6%) being right sided and 90 (58·4%) left sided (P=0·036). Seventy-eight skin cancers were located on the upper extremities of Hispanic/Latino individuals with 49 (62·8%) being right sided and 29 (37·2%) left sided (P=0·024). Males had most of the skin cancers at 2125 (70·8%) cases and females had 875 (29·2%) cases (P<0·001). CONCLUSIONS: NMSC appears to be more common on the left side of older non-Hispanic/non-Latino individuals, while it is more common on the right side of older Hispanic/Latino individuals. This is likely to be secondary to an environmental factor, such as ultraviolet radiation. NMSC is significantly more common in males relative to females, which may be attributed to differences in gender roles or referral practices.

Asunto(s)

Carcinoma Basocelular/patología , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/patología , Neoplasias Cutáneas/patología , Adulto , Distribución por Edad , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Carcinoma Basocelular/etnología , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/etnología , Estudios de Cohortes , Femenino , Florida/epidemiología , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello/etnología , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello/patología , Hispánicos o Latinos/etnología , Humanos , Extremidad Inferior , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Distribución por Sexo , Neoplasias Cutáneas/etnología , Torso , Extremidad Superior , Adulto Joven

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is increasing in incidence and manifests as skin and soft tissue infections including furuncles. The majority of studies have focused on the epidemiology of single furuncles and not recurrent disease. There is a lack of data concerning the incidence of furunculosis outside the U.S.A. OBJECTIVES: This report reviews the literature of recurrent furunculosis and the impact of CA-MRSA on the disease. METHODS: Article citations were searched within PubMed. Search terms used were 'furunculosis', 'recurrent furunculosis', 'skin abscess' and 'recurrent boils'. Articles were discarded if they did not refer to furunculosis secondary to S. aureus. RESULTS: A total of 1515 articles were initially retrieved with the term 'furunculosis', 77 with the term 'recurrent furunculosis', 2778 with the term 'skin abscess', and 1526 with the term 'recurrent boils'. After excluding articles not referring to S. aureus furunculosis, 86 articles were included for this review. CONCLUSIONS: Furunculosis is increasing within the U.S.A. secondary to the CA-MRSA epidemic and the resistant organism's close association with the Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL) virulence factor. PVL is associated with follicular infections in general, having its strongest association with furunculosis and its recurrence. The majority of furuncles in the U.S.A. are caused by CA-MRSA, while elsewhere in the world they are caused by methicillin-sensitive S. aureus. Nasal carriage of S. aureus is the primary risk factor for recurrent furunculosis and occurs in 60% of individuals.

Asunto(s)

Forunculosis/microbiología , Staphylococcus aureus Resistente a Meticilina/aislamiento & purificación , Infecciones Estafilocócicas/microbiología , Toxinas Bacterianas , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana , Exotoxinas , Forunculosis/diagnóstico , Humanos , Leucocidinas , Staphylococcus aureus Resistente a Meticilina/efectos de los fármacos , Recurrencia , Factores de Riesgo , Infecciones Estafilocócicas/diagnóstico , Factores de Virulencia

RESUMEN

Acne vulgaris is one of the most common diseases in the United States, affecting 40 to 50 million individuals. The condition is both a dermatologic and psychosocial challenge for many patients, and while topical therapy and cleansers continue to be the gold standard of treatment, the use of lasers and light will continue to play a role that will likely expand in management of acne. Modalities that have been explored include PDT with and without photosensitizers, KTP, PDL, infrared and fractional lasers. Current data evaluating these methods will be herewith discussed. The future application of these devices in acne therapy will likely include combination therapy and exploration of more precisely targeted chromophores.

Asunto(s)

Acné Vulgar/terapia , Fotoquimioterapia , Acné Vulgar/etiología , Terapia Combinada , Humanos

RESUMEN

SUMMARY: Full length cDNA sequences are an important resource for the research community but are currently intermingled with other sequences. We have identified the human full length insert cDNA sequences in GenBank and placed them in a single location, the Human Transcript Database. AVAILIBILITY: The Human Transcript Database is available at http://www.hgsc.bcm.tms.edu/HTDB/. CONTACT: John Bouck: jbouck@bcm.tmc.edu

Asunto(s)

Bases de Datos Factuales , ARN Mensajero , Elementos Transponibles de ADN , ADN Complementario , Humanos

RESUMEN

Treponema pallidum subsp, pallidum, the causative agent of the sexually transmitted disease syphilis, is a fastidious, microaerophilic obligate parasite of humans. This bacterium is one of the few prominent infectious agents that has not been cultured continuously in vitro and consequently relatively little is known about its virulence mechanisms at the molecular level. T. pallidum therefore represented an attractive candidate for genomic sequencing. The complete genome sequence of T. pallidum has now been completed and comprises 1,138,006 base pairs containing 1041 predicted protein coding sequences. An important goal of this project is to identify possible virulence factors. Analysis of the genome indicates a number of potential virulence factors including a family of 12 proteins related to the Msp protein of Treponema denticola, a number of putative hemolysins, as well as several other classes of proteins of interest. The results of this analysis are reviewed in this article and indicate the value of whole genome sequences for rapidly advancing knowledge of infectious agents.

Asunto(s)

Genoma Bacteriano , Treponema pallidum/genética , Genes Bacterianos , Proteínas Hemolisinas/genética , Proteínas de Complejo Poro Nuclear , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas/genética , Sífilis/microbiología , Treponema pallidum/patogenicidad , Virulencia/genética

RESUMEN

The complete genome sequence of Treponema pallidum was determined and shown to be 1,138,006 base pairs containing 1041 predicted coding sequences (open reading frames). Systems for DNA replication, transcription, translation, and repair are intact, but catabolic and biosynthetic activities are minimized. The number of identifiable transporters is small, and no phosphoenolpyruvate:phosphotransferase carbohydrate transporters were found. Potential virulence factors include a family of 12 potential membrane proteins and several putative hemolysins. Comparison of the T. pallidum genome sequence with that of another pathogenic spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, identified unique and common genes and substantiates the considerable diversity observed among pathogenic spirochetes.

Asunto(s)

Genoma Bacteriano , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN , Treponema pallidum/genética , Proteínas Bacterianas/genética , Proteínas Bacterianas/metabolismo , Secuencia de Bases , Grupo Borrelia Burgdorferi/genética , Proteínas Portadoras/genética , Proteínas Portadoras/metabolismo , Reparación del ADN/genética , Replicación del ADN/genética , Enzimas de Restricción del ADN/genética , Metabolismo Energético/genética , Genes Bacterianos , Genes Reguladores , Respuesta al Choque Térmico/genética , Lipoproteínas/genética , Proteínas de la Membrana/genética , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Movimiento , Sistemas de Lectura Abierta , Consumo de Oxígeno/genética , Biosíntesis de Proteínas , Recombinación Genética , Origen de Réplica , Transcripción Genética , Treponema pallidum/metabolismo , Treponema pallidum/patogenicidad